Rettendon murders


The Rettendon murders occurred on 6 December 1995 in the village of Rettendon in Essex, England, when three drug dealers were shot dead in a Range Rover down a small farm track.
The incident was followed by a major police investigation – Operation Century – and has been the subject of many books and feature films.

Triple murders

On 6 December 1995, Rettendon was the scene of the triple murder of Tony Tucker, Patrick Tate and Craig Rolfe, three drug dealers shot dead in a Range Rover down a small farm track. The three men were found the following morning by farmer Peter Theobald and his friend Ken Jiggins.
Friend of the victims, and only surviving member of the main alliance, Carlton Leach now lives in Essex and has written and talked about the murders and his memory of his late associates.

Police investigation

Operation Century produced no arrests or evidence leading to a criminal prosecution. A prosecution that was eventually brought in connection with the murders was based on police operations subsequent to the closure of Operation Century.

Criminal convictions

Two men, Jack Whomes and Michael Steele, were convicted of the murders on 20 January 1998 after an Old Bailey trial, and sentenced to life imprisonment. The key witness was police informer Darren Nicholls from Barnet, who gave evidence against his former friends at their trial. Questions were raised over the reliability of mobile phone records used to corroborate the informant's testimony. Over the last two decades the pair have unsuccessfully challenged their convictions.

Films

The films Essex Boys, starring Sean Bean; Rise of the Footsoldier; Bonded by Blood; The Fall of the Essex Boys, Essex Boys: Retribution ; Essex Boys: Law of Survival, Rise of the Footsoldier: Part 2, Bonded By Blood 2, Rise of the Footsoldier 3 and Rise of the Footsoldier 4: Marbella are all based – to varying degrees – on the crime.